By Musbau Rasak
It is an understatement to say that James Abiodun Faleke is a Tinubu man. This is a man whose number one, two and three political ideal and belief is Bola Ahmed Tinubu. His actions, inactions and utterances have all been towards propagating and promoting the ideals, beliefs and values of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu University of Politics.
It is an open secret that Faleke eats, drinks, talks and acts Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and it is also noteworthy to say he has never regretted it. Asiwaju on his part, knows that Faleke is one of his most committed and loyal supporters.
Late 2003, when Asiwaju having just won his second term election, was desirous of putting an enduring legacy at the grassroots governance of the state, he set up the task of raising young, sagacious, cerebral and active elected administrators at the grassroots level.
The tenure of the elected council chairmen had ended a year earlier and caretaker committees were running the affairs of the then 20 local government areas of the state.
In his desire to develop the grassroots, put in place enduring legacies and projects, as well as delegate power and ensure even development and growth of the local governments in the state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu created additional 37 local governments in addition to the existing 20 to bring the number to 57. The additional 37 thus created are now known and called local council development areas (LCDAs).
With the creation of new local governments, Asiwaju, an intelligent fisher of men realised that he needed a mixture of experience and youth to berth his new desire of creating even development and growth at the local level.
The ever willing and ever ready sagacious, cerebral, intelligent, vocal, diligent, astute younger administrators were mixed with the experienced set who were part of the council chairmen whose tenure ended a year earlier.
Thus, the new generation of administrators described above have these illustrious and intelligent names on the list: James Abiodun Faleke, Idowu Osuolale Obasa, Kunle Soname, Rasheed Shabi, Adeyemi Taofeek Alli, Sulaiman Omoyele, Taofeek Abiodun Adaranijo, Aderinsola Disu, Fausat Gbadebo, Yetunde Arobieke, Seye Oladejo, Mufutau Kadiku, Toyin Suarau, Mary Modupe Oseghale and Late Ayo Ositelu.
They were all making their debut as Council Chairmen and they combined well with those who have experienced it before from the previous administration at the local government level: the late Senator Muniru Adekunle Muse, the late Morufdeen Adeola Adefolabi, Bashiru Omolaja Bolarinwa, Sesan Olanrewaju, Prince Rabiu Adio Oluwa, Pastor Cornellius Oyefolu Ojelabi and Prince Adio Sekoni to commence a new and progressive governance at the local level. Then, the Chairman of the Council Chairmen was the Late Muniru Adekunle Muse but when Muse later won election and became a Senator, enter the indefatigable James Abiodun Faleke.
The ascendancy of Faleke as Chairman of Chairmen led to the creation of Conference 57, the very formidable umbrella organisation for council chairmen in Lagos State which has continue to grow in leaps and bounds in the state rising to become a pressure group for developing the grassroots people.
Since his entrance into Lagos politics, Faleke has never hidden his complete trust, loyalty and commitment to the Tinubu School of Politics and wherever he finds himself, he has never shied away from being in the forefront of promoting and defending the ideals of arguably the most enduring political University in Nigeria.
Faleke as the Chairman of Conference 57 and his colleagues in the association, in conjunction with people of Likeminds, initiated the Bola Tinubu Colloquium which was first staged at Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos to celebrate the 57th birthday of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Colloquium has not only become an annual event, it has also become a globally acclaimed event where ideas are cross-vitalised on how to put in place a society worthy of living for human beings.
Asiwaju of course was not wrong in his choice of lieutenants at the local level. Faleke and his colleagues came up with beautiful ideas which contributed in no small measures to the development and growth of grassroots governance which has served as template for subsequent administration at the grassroots level. One of such ideas was the one that gave birth to the establishment of the Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA).
This agency was set up primarily to collect advert on behalf of the councils and ensure even distribution among the councils to avoid one having undue advantage over the other.
Since his election into the House of Representatives to represent Ikeja Federal Constituency, incidentally Tinubu’s constituency, Faleke has never wavered in his commitment to the Tinubu ideals.
He was in the forefront of the campaign which eventually led to Rt Hon Aminu Tambuwwal becoming the Speaker of the House in 2011. In 2015, he was also a leading campaigner for Femi Gbajabiamila for Speaker which did not yield the desired result then and 2019, again, he led the Femi Gbajabiamila for Speaker, this time with resounding success.
Faleke has had no doubt about Asiwaju’s capacity and wherewithal to rule Nigeria hence he was arguably the first politician that started propagating the Tinubu for President campaign publicly even when the Leader himself had not made up his mind.
The story of his daring move, along with people of Likeminds, to form the Tinubu Support Group (TSG) even when it seems somehow dangerous to do so, has been well reported and documented.
TSG, in spite of all odds raised up against it, rose from strength to strength becoming the flagship support organisation for Jagaban and it is the TSG that was responsible for the successive penetration of the Tinubu campaign into the Northern part of the country.
Faleke led TSG from the front, galvanising ideas and creating awareness on the need to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for President.
He was always in the forefront both physically and spiritually, don’t forget that it was Faleke who organised an inter-religious prayers session for the success of the Tinubu for President campaign immediately the Leader publicly declared his intention to run.
During the APC Presidential Primary Election, Faleke was the quintessential point man. Energetic, sprite, physically fit, taking the full weight of his more than six feet height in his stride, James Abiodun Faleke was ubiquitous throughout that night and was again in his seat early morning when the votes were being sorted out and counted, he performed his duty as agent to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the admiration of all party members and leaders.
Don’t doubt his physical fitness, Faleke was an active handball and volleyball player in his secondary school days who represented not only his school but also his state winning laurels. He was also a very good footballer during his secondary school days.
After the primaries, Faleke had been shuttling between the headquarters of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation and his office at the National Assembly where he has not abandon his legislative duties. Apart from this, he was always available whenever there was need for him to accompany the APC Presidential Candidate and his running mate to events and strategic political meetings.
When he was announced early Thursday, 11 August, 2022 as the Secretary of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, virtually majority of APC members and leaders agreed with the decision.
According to some party leaders who spoke with this writer, Faleke not only deserves the honour, he is also the best man for the job, the round peg fittingly put in a round hole.
Therefore, for James Abiodun Faleke, it is not only deserve honour for him but also a higher call to duty. God will be with you and assist you in delivering on this mandate.
